Fighting against time

Writer: Xiao Tian

Nanyang Siang Pau, Aug 8, 2016

What is the latest on the Hudud bill? Time flies and what has been deferred will come to pass one day.  It does not seem to have any good solution. Even if there is, it must go through the first hurdle in parliament and only then one can be rest assured.

There have been many past assurances but they are all by the word of mouth and should not be trusted. Things, especially politics, change fast. The proper way to deal with it is to refuse to believe it, or have some reservations and maintain a wait-and-see attitude.

When the Hudud issue was taken right to the highest legislature, it would be difficult to challenge the law in court later. When the private Hudud bill was first tabled in parliament, some were stunned and some said there was nothing to worry because it is only meant to raise the jurisdiction of and punishment by Syariah court.  Some started worrying when told of the hidden points.

If we understood it correctly, the bill is to remove certain barriers in the implementation of the Hudud law. This is a very well planned move but then, there are always some well experienced and knowledgeable lawyers who could spot the motive.  However, because the opposition force is limited, there seems to be no way to save the situation.

We usually read in the newspapers opposition voiced by political parties and associations but have never seen them setting aside their individual or political differences and form a united force to block what could be a far-reaching move.

It would not be easy to stop it because it is related to the number of deciding votes in parliament, racial, religious as well as political interests. In fact, the key to it is in the instruction given by different parties to vote either for or against the bill before the casting of votes.

While the journey is still a bit far, the lull before the storm is disquieting, especially among the opposing groups. Have they been talking about it or making any plan?  Are they going to take on the Hudud bill individually or take a united stand? Things are moving fast and many are counting the seconds and minutes before the issue stares us in the face.

The pressure of massive public opinion could cause some impact on this issue and those well-versed with the law may find more points to rebuff the Hudud move. However, there seems to be no sense of urgency to race against time. The relaxed atmosphere is worrying.

We are happy to note that an authoritative Malay group has come out with new argument that the bill is against the Constitution.  It shows that if we studied the issue without any prejudice, the right answer will surface.